[RE-wrenches] Maxing out the roof

[Max Balchowsky]

"Watching my language" greatly limits my response.......




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From: Joel Davidson <joel.davidson at sbcglobal.net>
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 3, 2009 10:34:03 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Maxing out the roof


Call-back costs are going down because inverters and bos are more reliable and installation practices improve, but increased re-design and permit issues are driving G&A costs up. I try not to get angry when salaried public employees waste my time and taxpayers' money reviewing something they don't know about. If back-end problems are called "call-backs," what do you call front-end problems (and watch yer language, buddy)?
 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Max Balchowsky 
To: RE-wrenches 
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 9:50 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Maxing out the roof

Joel, you're right. I think you have a better perspective than most, having been in the industry so long and watching the changes and the politics. I have sat across the table at meetings with building officials and fire marshals discussing this issue only to have the rug pull from under a decision once it moved to the next level politically within the system. As of late I watched a 14 Kw system go thru more than 8 weeks of maneuvering through Newport Beach city hall only to be kicked back again when  the FD decided that PVC couldn’t be used on the roof (can’t use EMT in NB) and now it had to be plumbed in GRC, further increasing the cost to the customer..... I honestly don’t know where this will end, but it becomes more and more frustrating as we go.......
 
Maxing out the roof Balchowsky



________________________________
From: Joel Davidson <joel.davidson at sbcglobal.net>
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 3, 2009 8:36:02 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Maxing out the roof


Hi Max,
 
I can't resist writing - Max is on the roof maxing out the roof. Now that I got that out of my system, what we are seeing are increasingly restrictive rules that limit how much PV a person can have. Granted, neighbors have the right to protect themselves and their property from actual and potential dangers like solar modules blowing off the roof or fires spreading from one house to another. But do my neighbors' rights to protect include denying me the use of my entire roof, or for that matter, anywhere on my property? Yes. Depending on your local laws, you cannot stick your PV outside your property setbacks. You cannot put your PV on above certain heights. You cannot put your PV up to your roof ridge. You cannot fill your roof with PV. You cannot have ground-mounted PV without taking measures to protect trespassers. And so on...
 
The same loss of freedom happened with other technologies (radio, automobiles, airplanes, etc.) as they moved into the mainstream. So PV pioneers, enjoy your success but add insurance, permit fees, legal fees, and other costs to your cashflow budget.
 
Joel Davidson
 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Max Balchowsky 
To: RE-wrenches 
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 8:04 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Maxing out the roof

Our policy on filling a roof with solar is dictated by the local fire marshall. More and more they are gravitating toward the state standard (california) which is 3' from the ridge and sides and 1 1/2 ft each side of the valleys. we've had some exceptions but more and more we are finding them sticking to the state standard.....

Max Balchowsky 
SEE Systems

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